Watco Companies to provide rail service at Port San Antonio

Port San Antonio in Texas and Watco Companies, L.L.C., plan to launch a new rail service at the Port's East Kelly Railport.

Watco will occupy approximately 20 acres on the northern and eastern edges of the 350-acre railport. In 2012, the firm will invest in significant additional infrastructure to meet the growing demand of rail business by building approximately 15,500 feet of new track on the land, adding to the existing 20,000 feet at the railport. The new infrastructure will enhance the handling of railcars on behalf of railport customers, which include warehousing, distribution, transloading, manufacturing and trucking operations.

Watco will maintain all other rail infrastructure within East Kelly Railport and provide interchange of customers' railcars into the railport from Union Pacific and BNSF connections adjacent to the property. The new partnership comes at a time when the railport is experiencing a sharp increase in activity. Volume grew considerably in the past year, from 2,600 railcars served in FY 2010 to 4,600 railcars in FY 2011.

"Port San Antonio is an ideal platform to establish our south Texas operations and showcase the range of Watco services, from rail development and maintenance to supporting customers' day-to-day operations," said Amy Parady, Watco's vice president of sales and marketing, Gulf Region. "We are excited about our new partnership with Port San Antonio to help develop East Kelly Railport to its full potential."